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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Published on: February 9, 2011
Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in community-acquired primary pyoderma
Rahul Patil1, Sujata Baveja, Gita Nataraj
1Department of Dermatology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India. rahul680@yahoo.co.in
Background:
Although prevalence of MRSA strains is reported to be increasing, there are no studies of their prevalence in community-acquired primary pyodermas in western India.
Aims:
This study aimed at determining the prevalence of MRSA infection in community-acquired primary pyodermas.
Methods:
Open, prospective survey carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai.
Materials And Methods:
Eighty-six patients with primary pyoderma, visiting the dermatology outpatient, were studied clinically and microbiologically. Sensitivity testing was done for vancomycin, sisomycin, gentamicin, framycetin, erythromycin, methicillin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, penicillin G and ciprofloxacin. Phage typing was done for MRSA positive strains.
Results:
The culture positivity rate was 83.7%. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in all cases except two. Barring one, all strains of Staphylococcus were sensitive to methicillin.
Conclusions:
Methicillin resistance is uncommon in community-acquired primary pyodermas in Mumbai. Treatment with antibacterials active against MRSA is probably unwarranted for community-acquired primary pyodermas.
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